The following article is from Jeevan, the official newsletter of the Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation, Issue 3/October-December 2007

Good Neighbour lauds Foundation support

Ask The Good Neighbour International (TGNI) chairman and founder, the Reverend Paul Ramswarup about the Vodafone ATH Foundation and he will give you a list of reasons as to why Foundations are the way forward for corporate organisations in Fiji.

TGNI is a non governmental organisation officially registered in 2005 but has been operating for over a decade, helping and supporting low income earning communities around Fiji. The Good Neighbour recently received a grant of $18,983 from the Vodafone ATH Foundation to assist in equipping and building its centres around the country. “We have been blessed indeed to have a donor in the form of the Foundation as it is something that has been set up locally,” Rev Ramswarup said. “We have been able to upgrade, build and equip our five centres in Fiji with computers to help our volunteer officers in the field with their work in the communities that they serve,” he said. “Basically we help people to help themselves and help others, that’s what Good Neighbour is all about.”

While they have yet to advertise or create awareness of their existence in Fiji, the work that has been done with the 800 plus people that Good Neighbour has come to work with has sent out a fresh and reassuring message to the community, he added. “And this is why we are thankful and we can’t even comprehend how blessed we are to have a donor like the Vodafone ATH Foundation.” “Through their assistance these communities that we reach out to are enriched with ways to remain self sufficient and how to play their part in building our Fiji to be a better place.” “I have a thought that if we can create this ripple effect on the community through the help of the Foundation through us and the other NGOs that are supported by them, Fiji will succeed in eradicating poverty and educating its people to use their resources to their full potential,” he said.

TGNI centres around Fiji that have benefited from the funding by the Foundation include their McGregor Street centre in Suva, Savura, Wailoku Destiny Home centre, Vunisoco, Namosi Centre and the Barotu, Ra centre.